The main gate of Seoul National University / Korea Times file
The primary perpetrator behind the notorious "Seoul National University (SNU) Nth Room" case, involving the creation and distribution of illegal artificial media targeting dozens of women, including SNU graduates, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the first trial.
The victims' representatives praised the ruling and deemed it “a wake-up call” to the severity of digital sex crimes.
The Seoul Central District Court's criminal division, led by judge Park Jun-seok, sentenced Park, 39, to 10 years for charges including violating the related laws for producing and distributing sexually exploitative and falsified media. Co-defendant Kang, 31, received a four-year sentence.
The court reprimanded the defendants for targeting fellow alumni from a top-ranking university, saying, “The victims treated them with goodwill, yet they selected their victims like prey.”
The court added that the victims, whose personal lives were disrupted, will likely endure lasting fear and anxiety.
Although Park and Kang argued that academic stress and ADHD symptoms led to their actions, the court dismissed these claims, saying, “Their Telegram messages reveal deliberate actions to avoid detection, with no records of any prior medical treatment.”
Instead, the court identified "a sense of victimhood toward women" as the motive, pointing to “their inferiority complex and resentment toward successful women,” as well as the “powerful anonymity Telegram offers” as factors enabling their behavior.
While Park has repeatedly expressed remorse, the court questioned his sincerity, saying, “While it does not seem entirely insincere, given his behavior of sending these videos directly to mock victims, it is hard to believe he truly wishes the victims no harm, and his remorse has come far too late.”
Appearing in court in a light brown prison uniform, Park mumbled “I'm sorry” to the courtroom and tearfully covered his face upon hearing the sentence. Kang, also in custody, sat with his head lowered, having removed his mask during the ruling.
Cho Yun-hee, attorney for the victims, said, “It's unusual for the court to sentence exactly as the prosecution requested, especially in a case recognizing the habitual nature of falsifying videos and the seriousness of the crime.”
Park, an SNU graduate, and Kang, an SNU Law School graduate, created and shared lewd, digitally altered videos using alumni photos and social media images from July 2020 to April this year, affecting at least 61 known victims.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.